A World War 2 movie with a 93% fresh rating on Rotten Tomatoes has been named the best film of the decade so far. The century’s greatest military conflict had barely begun before Hollywood started making films about it, some of them propagantistic in nature, others more interested in real human drama.

The immensity of World War 2 as a historical event indeed guarantees the film world’s ongoing interest. In recent years, the torch has been carried by movies like Blitz, Greyhound, Operation Mincemeat and, of course, 2023’s blockbuster Oscar-winner Oppenheimer.

The Zone Of Interest Is The Best Film Of The 2020s So Far

The World War 2 Movie Was Directed By Jonathan Glazer

Christopher Nolan’s Oppenheimer biopic may have won Best Picture at the Oscars, but the best film of the decade so far, at least according to one new poll, is The Zone of Interest. Directed by Jonathan Glazer, the movie stands at 93% on Rotten Tomatoes, and won its own Oscar for Best International Feature.

Zone of Interest grossed $52 million worldwide.

The New York Times’ new list of the best films of the 2000s is predictably weighted toward titles released in the century’s first two decades, but The Zone of Interest did make it into the rundown at #12, the highest finish for a movie from the 2020s.

Our Take On The Zone Of Interest Being Named Best Film Of The 2020s

This Time It Beat Oppenheimer

Nolan’s blockbuster biopic may have beaten out Glazer’s art-house drama on Oscar night, but two years on, The Zone of Interest is seen as the better film, at least according to those who voted in the New York Times’ poll. Oppenheimer did make the list, landing at #65, far behind the #12 finish posted by Glazer’s movie.

It’s yet to be seen if either Oppenheimer or Zone of Interest will be enshrined alongside the likes of Casablanca, From Here To Eternity, Schindler’s List and Saving Private Ryan as an all-time classic World War 2 movie. But, at least for now, the latter seems headed swiftly in that direction, while Oppenheimer’s critical reputation may already be waning somewhat.

War movies endure because of their timeless themes and messages, and some of the best of the past decade have taken unique approaches to the genre.

There is little doubt Zone of Interest belongs in the conversation for best movie of the decade so far, if not the century. Glazer’s haunting look at the Holocaust is among the most powerful dramas of the past 25 years, its 93% RT fresh rating serving as evidence of its acclaim.

Zone of Interest and Oppenheimer being rated so highly in the esteem of critics is just more proof that World War 2 remains fruitful ground for cinematic storytellers looking to depict human tragedy and triumph.

Source: New York Times